James and Lily A Love Story
by Hermione Granger - Top mind at Hogwarts
Summary: This begins with James and Lily finding out that Harry is on the way. The fears and trials they face with the uncertainty of the prophecy about their son.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This fanfic is actually created by a RP that Tina and I did. Thank you for playing James, Tina. You are the best! I also want to thank Erin who wrote for Dumbledore and Frank and Sonne who writes for Remus Lupin. The characters Lily, Alice and Sirius are played by me.**

**We do not own these characters. This rp/fanfic is based upon characters created by J. K. Rowling**

**James and Lily-A Love Story**

Chapter 1- A child on the way

Lily finished up her paperwork on the latest raids that had happened that day. It seemed as if things were just getting worse as the days went on and the aurors had their work cut out for them, and James was just as busy as a healer. Even after being married for five years, she still loved him as much as she did the day they were married. She hadn't approved of many of the things he did as Hogwarts, and he still had a very mischevious streak in him, but his impetuousness was refreshing, especially after the long days that seemed to be a part of her life lately.

Making sure that everything was done for the evening and that she had her cloak and wand, she apparated back to the "The Villa" as they called it after saying goodbye to the few people left in the office. She never lingered long if she could help it, wanting to get home to James because she never knew when her Auror skills would be required again. Collapsing in a chair by the fireplace, she lit the fire with her wand and relaxed, putting her head back. Merlin, she was tired these days. She knew that she should get dinner started and she usually loved to cook, but let the house elves do it tonight. Leaving her instructions with the house elves, she dozed off to sleep.

Working through the last of his shift, and a little over to recheck a couple of patients and leave instructions for their overnight care, James made his way back to his office. Being a young yet up-and-coming Healer, his office wasn't large but not as small as some were. He shuffled off a couple of parchments off to the side and closed his books, but that unsettled feeling wouldn't shake from him. What was going on? Still, he doused the lights and walked out of St. Mungo's, apparating home from the quiet side alley of the street. Opening the door, he walked into the everquiet house and sought out Lily - his comfort and the love of his life. Everything was busy and in turmoil right now - the war-that-dare-not-be-proclaimed was taking its toll in lives and the world surrounding them.

Finding Lily leaning back in a chair, he immediately felt sympathy for her - the work she did wasn't easy - and he just removed his cloak and put it over the end of another chair and sat in the one next to hers just to look at his wife while she had some peace written on her face. Eventually, an elf came in to tell him dinner was ready and he nodded in acknowledgement before it bowed out of the room again. Touching his wife's hand gently, he said softly, "Lily?"

Lily had been dozing and dreaming of James and his friends. They were all so wonderful to them, and often came to visit for impromptu games of Quidditch or exploding snap---James was a champion at both games. She smiled as she slumbered, knowing that her and James could count on their friends for anything. Feeling a hand on hers and hearing James' sweet voice through her sleepiness, she opened her eyes slowly and smiled, "Hey there, how long have you been home?" Seeing him was the highlight of her morning and her evening, and what kept her going some days. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it, he WAS her life.

Smirking as his wife's eyes fluttered open and she focused on him. "Hey beautiful," he said - saying what he usually said every time she woke. It was kind of a ritual for them, but more comforting than routine. Shrugging to her question, he smiled genuine then, "Oh, I've been home for just a few - wanted to watch you. You smile in your sleep - I hope it was of me..." It was a tease, he knew they were completely solid. Or at least, he hoped so. "Elves said that dinner was ready whenever you are." He kept her hand in his, rubbing his thumb in a gentle massage over her fingers, "Rough day, beloved?"

"Yes, just a bit. But knowing that I had you to come home to made it all worth while," She said, smiling at him and pulling him in for a kiss, "Dinner sounds good, I am a bit hungry. Three raids today, seems thing to be getting worse every day," She said, her eyes holding a bit of sadness, "A few muggle deaths, we got there hoping to catch them in the act but we were too late," She said, shaking her head, "Makes me think of mum and dad, and how I worry about them. I am afraid that one of these days that the call will be to their house and...that I'll be too late to save them too," Tears pricked her green eyes, "I want to put protection spells on their house but Petunia, well, you know how she is. Even if it could help save our parents, she won't allow it," Discovering that her stomach was protesting the fact that she'd had little to eat today, she stood from her chair and felt the room spin a little.

Giving a short laugh, James smiled, "You flatter me, love. Why, I may blush any second now." He was joking of course, because he was in fact glad to hear it and he picked up her hand to give it a kiss before she diverted him to a much better place. "Hmmmm," was what he managed to get out for a second, before, "You can greet me like this everyday if you like. Or more." He leaned back again then, letting her tell him about her day. Noting her eyes got sad and grim while she explained how the day went, his mouth straightened to a grim line, "Sorry to hear it." He genuinely was - and it was part of the reason he didn't care for that line of work - he saw it gradually kill his father's humanity - hardening him against the pain of the worse part of his job.

He never wanted to give that up in himself, because he recognized a certain darkness in himself that would follow it. Being a healer reminded him of other things. Taking both her hands in his, he understood her concern. The parents of Muggle-borns were certainly targets, "Try not to think of that, love." It was tough, he knew. He saw it in her eyes everyday. Standing when she began to, James backed up a step but then rushed forward very quickly when he noticed Lily begin to falter, "Lily?" His concern was immediately evident, and he caught her in his arms, holding him up. He put a palm to her forehead and looked into her eyes. "Haven't eaten at all today?" he asked, knowing how she was when she worked. Too damn... driven.

He scooped her up then and took her to the dining room, standing by her until he thought she was steady. "You need to eat - your blood sugar is really low," he said noting her clammy skin.

Sitting in the chair, she knew that he was right. Waiting for him to sit down, she took a sip of the wine and smiled at her handsome husband. She saw the concern in his eyes, it was becoming an all too often thing that she didn't have time to eat, "It's not that I plan to do it, and I do snack occassionally during the day. It's just that it's difficult to really settle down and eat with the way the world is," Picking up her fork, she took a bite of the food that the elves had prepared, "How about you? How was your day?" She knew that with He who must not be named growing stronger, James was busier than ever at the hospital and often times he came home as tired as she was, "I really admire the work that you do, James, you are a wonderful healer, and don't detatch yourself like so many others. You have too kind a heart for that."

Making sure she ate something, he didn't move to the chair beside her until she did. Even still, he kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't fall off her chair. "You know what my grandmother used to say?" he began, and then waited a pause to make sure she was paying attention, "You can't help anybody else if you don't take care of yourself first." He nodded then, very firmly, a sort of confirmation that if Lily didn't start eating properly at work, he'd damn well take time out of his day to find her and make sure that she did. "And, you're trying to divert me from the subject. My day was like it always is - busy."

He smiled then, softening slightly, "But I don't care how the world is - if you are weak or fall over on the job... then what am I going to do without you?" The statement had a lot of truth to it. An Auror couldn't afford any gap in their attention. Taking a bite himself, he then sipped some water and looked at her again, softer still, "And thank you. I can only hope I can be as good as my grandmother was, in spite of a slight weakness in Potions." He smiled wide then, "But I blame my dislike for Slughorn for that." He leaned over and kissed her then, noting her color was coming back, "My care will be the death of me, however... darling."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, each of them content to just sit there and look at one another, drinking in the sight of their beloved as if to memorize them. The sound of the phone broke the silence...having muggle parents it was a necessity. One of the house elves brought it to her and she answered it to hear her Mum on the other end of the line. They talked for a few minutes and Lily broke into a wide smile. When she hung up the phone, she looked over at James with a smile on her face,"Mum and Dad are going to be grandparents. Petunia and Vernon are expecting their first baby," Even though her sister didn't like her or James, she still had a soft place in her heart for her. They were sisters, after all, she couldn't deny that.

Then she thought over the tiredness and things she had been feeling lately; she'd been so busy that she hadn't noticed that she hadn't had her monthly visit lately. Goodness, how long HAD it been? She thought about it, trying to think back but the last couple of months had been a jumble. It had been at least a month, though...

Happily enough, James saw Lily grow visibly stronger and he began to feel more comfortable. He rolled his eyes when the phone rang, however. It wasn't what he was used to and he felt it was one of those muggle machines that just begged to annoy people, first and foremost, and was only mildly convenient sometimes. The only people who really called them were her parents, and if Lily wanted to talk to them, after all, he figured she might teach them the floo method, right? Or devise something like the mirrors that he and Sirius used. Still, he sat quietly while listening to one side of the conversation annoying, watching the expression on Lily's face and trying to guess if it was a good thing or not that they called.

He gathered that it was good, and he smiled when she hung up - until he heard what the conversation was about. Not being related to Petunia, and not caring for her either, kind of coloured his reaction. "Joy," he said flatly which indicated anything but. He forced a smile when he got a look of reproach, however, and continued to eat until he noticed Lily off in some far-off world, "What, love?"

Lily wondered if she should tell him, after all she could be wrong. She knew that stress sometimes caused irregularity and she'd been under plenty of that. If it were true, she wondered how they could knowingly bring a child into this world when it was in so much turmoil. The world they lived in was not safe for adults, but especially for a newborn. Maybe Petunia and Vernon had the right idea and ignorance was bliss. They would be thinking about their baby, how to decorate its room, buying it clothes, picking out names... What did they have to offer their child? Danger and a lot of frightening things. Still, their baby would be loved, and cared for, and even in the muggle world at the best of times it wasn't safe.

Lily sighed, battling the inward demons that plagued her mind and heart, and cut to the deepest recesses of her soul, "James, I think Mum and Dad might have another grandchild on the way..."

Merlin! James just blinked at Lily, dropping his fork and coughing a little as his throat closed up rather abruptly. Coughing into his napkin, he then put it down when he could breath again, took a quick sip of water, and just blinked at her, "You think so?" A mixture of joy and caution took over. He loved babies and children - another reason for being a healer - but there was some definite danger to be considered. Not that he'd ever suggest, that if it was a possibility, that they not have a child, but... His face was a mixture of a growing smile and a blank look at what they'd have to face. He was both terrified for the child's future and elated to welcome a child to the world. He'd just have to... teach the kid and raise it carefully. Protect it. With his life, if necessary. "You think so?" he repeated and nodded in query. The world wasn't a terribly terrific place right now, especially for the type of couple they were, but he couldn't imagine a brighter spot in it. "Merlin, Lily!" he said and leaned over, pulling her into a tight hug. He leaned back and searched her face, realizing at once that her little fainting spell a few moments ago was very probably symptomatic of her condition. "This means you'll have to, uhm, take some time off, though," he said, trying to hide that he liked the idea of knowing there'd be days he'd know she was safe, or safer, anyways.

Lily beamed at James' reaction, "Well, I'm not positive, I guess I'll have to see myself a good healer to be sure beyond a doubt," Here she winked at James, "but you're right about my job. There's too much danger involved to continue if I am going to have a baby," Knowing that if she was pregnant that she had to eat right, she started eating her dinner with renewed vigor, "Do you think we're ready for a baby? I know there were a lot of people, especially those in certain houses, who whispered about us when we announced our engagement at Hogwarts, until Remus and the others squelched those rumors. A lot of them thought we were too young," She said, remembering how cruel some of the Slytherin students had been, especially to James because he was marrying a muggle born witch, "And not to mention we're on the top list of You know who's followers because we have rebelled against him and refused to join them. I don't know, if I am pregnant, I think we need to keep it quiet as long as we possibly can. We can't jeopardize the baby," She said, suddenly feeling very afraid.

Glad that Lily was eating better, James watched her with the enthusiasm in her eyes at first, "Well, you have an excellent healer that makes housecalls - what more can you ask for?" He winked back and sipped at his water, then took her wineglass away, sipping from it before moving it to the other side of him. He was beginning to get a bit nervous about this. He knew what kind of father he didn't want to be, but he wasn't sure what kind of father he was going to be. Although he knew he could be overwhelmingly affectionate, in private. He listened to her concerns as he watched her face turn to that fear he often saw in women when he first told them they were expecting. All women went through it: Joy, fear, nervousness, concern for the future.

That was natural, but their situation was a bit... complicated, too. There were no guarantees that this would be okay, "I don't think we can afford to think of all the 'what ifs', Lily. Not right now." He stopped eating and turned his chair more to face her, taking her hands in his, "But I think you're right - we'll just keep it under wraps for as long as we can. If you trust your boss, he can find a way to reassign you so that it looks like something else. I can help if you want. But it also means you'll have to tone down with the Order. Me too, if it makes you feel better." He didn't want her to lose the baby from stress, after all. His child, a family - his family - and a continuation of the Potter line - at least, he hoped, sooner or later. He smiled for her benefit, meant to be reassuring.

Lily smiled back at him, he knew just how to make her feel better, "Can you do a test to make sure that this isn't a false alarm?" She said, wanting to be sure before they made any final decisions, "I know that this is something that has happened before, not being regular I mean. We both know that can be caused by stress and I don't want us to get our hopes up to have them dashed, because I know how much you love children. I do too, and I was looking forward to having a baby, it's just that times are so uncertain right now," Unconsciously putting her hand on her stomach, as if to protect the baby if she was pregnant, "Maybe by the time the baby comes someone will figure out a way to get rid of this evil that is plaguing our world and we can just enjoy being parents," Taking some more

bites of food, she tried to squelch the feelings of uncertainty that kept rising in her mind, "Well, at least I'm glad Mum called...otherwise I wouldn't have thought about it. In some ways I envy Petunia, her life is so uncomplicated. As for work and the Order, as soon as we know for certain I will make arrangements. I know that we can certainly trust Dumbledore to keep our secret and if your smile is any indication of how you are going to act when we know if it's true, well, then, some other people might need to be told. Sirius and Remus at least," She said, pausing, never having really trusted Peter Pettigrew.

Nodding happily, James smiled, "I have every intention of doing just that - eh, uhm... now, if you want to confirm it, Lily." He did, of course, have his own study for his healer books and potion supplies - such a large part of his life for quite a while - even when he had to hide his studying the Healing Arts from his father - who had hoped he'd be an Auror as he had been - or his grandfather had been. But for now, he'd give anything just to keep Lily as upbeat as possible, "Whatever the world holds in store for us, Lily, we will face it together - and as a family. I promised you that on my wedding day - you can hold me to it." They both had their fear and concerns, James no less than Lily, but he was, at the core, an optimist.

Less so than in the past, but still in that realm of thinking. He snickered that she thought her sister's life was less complicated, though, "Hon, your sister's life is not less complicated, just... ignorant." He raised his eyebrows at this as emphasis, "Don't ever think that any Muggle is safe now. No one is. Not a one." He smiled wide though at the prospect of telling his friends, "Well, we have to tell Sirius! He is gonna be the Godfather!" He smiled broader then, before he had questions, "Right?"

Lily laughed at James' enthusiasm, it was contagious, "Yes, I want to know as soon as possible, so we can start making plans. And you are right about us facing it together, things may not always turn out the way we plan but we know that our love is strong enough to get us through. No baby will ever be loved more than our child," When he mentioned Sirius being the godfather, "Of course he would be, I couldn't think of anyone better," She said, smiling happily, and knowing that if they were indeed expecting a baby there was nothing more that she wanted right now.

Almost as an afterthought, she thought about her sister and the baby she was carrying, "I wish that we could convince them to let us put protection spells on their house, especially now that we have a little niece or nephew on the way. I know that you have never cared much for her, James, but she's still a human being, although she really hides it well sometimes, and as an Auror I feel the need to protect her. She's a muggle, but she is so much more than that because she is my sister. I really should try and convince her again...tell her that Mum called me to tell us of their news," Lily's eyes darkened, "James, please promise me that you won't tell Peter until we have to, until its obvious, okay? I don't trust him..."

"After dinner, then," James said and straightened up his chair so that he could finish his meal, as well. He'd probably whistle to himself if he wasn't eating, as the happy buzz in his mind was going full tilt. He was going to be a father! How he'd longed for this. Right? Yes, yes. "Sirius will be a great Godfather, just as we will be the greatest parents, ever," he said, his mind ticking through all the things he wanted to do - all the things he'd told himself when he was little and alone - all the things he wanted to teach. Like... the fine art of pranking. Yes, yes. Dark Lord be damned.

Turning to listen as Lily talked about her sister, James adopted something of a dubious look, "You can ask her again, luv, but I don't see it happening. And if you put up spells of protection without permission, they don't work as well. You know that." He didn't want to say out loud that he was fine with letting people choose their own doom in spite of being warned, but he did have a bit of Muggle prejudice to contend with himself, and he shrugged for larger reasons than he let on, "You can't force people." He turned and drank from his wine glass when he heard Lily's concern about Peter. Slowly looking at her, his brow furrowed in a puzzled expression, "Hon? What's the matter? Peter's never done anything..." he said, and turned to face her fully, "...against us - against me. Why would you say that?" Granted, he wasn't exactly... himself... lately, but he had troubles of his own - not being exactly a particularly... talented... wizard.

Lily sighed, she knew that he was right about Petunia. Her sister could be stubborn as a mule sometimes, "You'd think that with a child on the way she would reconsider. I mean, it's like not allowing to be treated by a doctor, or a healer, because of their skin color. In both situations it could cost you your life if you don't listen to what they are saying or take their advice," Lily paused as she saw James' expression when he talked about Peter; she'd had a bad feeling about Peter since they were in school together but she never brought it up because of the other three's fondness for him, "It's nothing that I can explain, James. I guess being in the line of work I am in, has kind of given me a sixth sense about people and Peter just rubs me the wrong way. I'm probably being foolish and goodness knows I don't want to start becoming the type of witch who thinks everyone is out to get her, and I don't feel that way about most people. Please, humor me this one time," She said, batting her eyelashes at him, knowing that he couldn't resist that.

Finishing up her dinner, she pushed back her plate, "That was delicious, guys, thank you," She said, smiling fondly at the house elves who came to clear the dishes away. She knew that there were some wizarding families who didn't treat their house elves kindly but her and James always were nice to theirs and because of it the house elves really enjoyed working for them.

"What's that saying, luv? You can lead a horse to water..." he stopped and grinned then. James knew it applied in almost every respect with her sister. There was no way to make her accept who they were or their lives. He was sorry that they didn't - for Lily, that was - but Muggles were Muggles, and some Muggles... worse than that. He finished his meal, as well, and threw his napkin on top of the plate to indicate it could be taken away. He chuckled lightly at how she treated the elves. He was good to them, for sure, but he'd been taught mostly to just... not acknowledge them, so Lily had been teaching him something a little more gracious.

He turned back to Lily, nodding that he'd consent to her wishes, "Sure, hon. You'd know I'd do anything for you and if this is the little you ask, then..." He shrugged, "I'd be happy to comply."

"Thank you, luv," She said, turning and giving him a hug and a kiss, embracing him a little longer than usual, "So, shall we go find out whether we're about to be parents for sure, and then we can come back here and celebrate with dessert?" She said to James, then said to the house elves, "That is, if you don't faint from happiness when we find out the results," She said, laughing, knowing how James was about children, "I don't want to wait any longer, now that I know it could be true, let's go find out now," She said, excitedly, "I know your dad wanted you to be an auror, but at times like these I'm really glad you became a healer. This way, you and I are the first to know and not some nameless healer who doesn't give a hippogryff's behind when it comes to someone having a baby. They're just another patient to them. This makes it all that more special," Lily rose from the table and waited for James to join her.

James was still puzzled by Lily's attitude regarding Peter, as he'd never overtly given them any indication of any kind to warrant her caution, but he dropped the subject, one, because it was likely to go nowhere, and two, because his feelings might be hurt later but it was easy to ask for forgiveness in retrospect. He accepted her gratitude, nonetheless, happily. Nothing could save him from his bouyancy now, and Sirius would just have to put up with a permanent hapless grin for quite some time. "We find out now," he said, practically bounding out of his chair as soon as the elves had cleared a path. Capturing Lily's hand, he pulled her along with him to his study, walking backwards so that he could keep his eyes on Lily and just drink in the glow he always imagined she had, anyways.

"I couldn't do what you and Sirius do, Lils, no matter what my father imagined for me," he said with a smile as he walked her along the hallway, "I just could never be so... 'off' emotionally, you know." After all, his funloving spirit meant that no one ever accused him of fully living life to the fullest and trying to have as much enjoyment and amusement from it. Opening the door to his private study when they arrived, he steered Lily to a chair and then quickly gathered a few healer tools to accompany his wand. "Do we..." he looked up at Lily while rooting in a satchel, finding what he was looking for, and started walking back to her, "Do we want to know what it is, our child?"

Lily laughed at James as he nearly bowled over the house elves in his rush to take her to his study, "I love my work, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it's really difficult seeing all the misery we often come across and never knowing what the next day brings," When he asked if she wanted to know what they would be having, she looked at him incredulously, "You can do that? You can tell us what we are going to have if it's true?" She said, pondering that, "Well, what do you think? Do you want to be surprised...or should we find out now?" She said, knowing that James probably would want to know right then and there.

"I know you love it," James said, fully aware that Lily was dedicated to what she was doing and believed in the greater good of what was trying to be accomplished, "The only thing I begrudge you for is this: It's dangerous and I know it." After all, his father, his grandfather, and a lot of those he knew were casualties of their dedication. It wasn't that he was afraid of those things for himself, he just rather discovered more and more as Lily worked on her 'James improvement project' in school - he preferred saving lives to risking or taking them. Not that the Order didn't give him enough of that anyways - too much at times. When he got back near Lily, he pulled a chair around so that he was facing her directly when he sat down, putting a few things on the floor.

"We can find out if you're far enough along, love. And since you don't know for sure - I guess we'll see," he said, beaming widely. He only hoped that his elation that this had happened wasn't a false alarm and he was about to be verily disappointed. He was almost afraid to confirm it one way or another. Handing her a small crystal sphere, he showed her how to hold it over her lap and he tapped it with his wand. He became sullen and was breathless for a moment as the cloud within it swirled madly and then finally settled. "Yes," he whispered and met Lily's eyes, "It says yes."

Lily nodded when James said it was dangerous. She knew all too well how dangerous it was, having seen fellow aurors end up in St. Mungos', and worse. She watched, transfixed, as he handed her the crystal sphere and told her what to do with it. Finally he said that the answer was yes and she was amazed. They were going to be parents! She smiled at James and gave him a hug and a kiss, "I can't believe it. I mean, I can but...wow," She said, finding herself at a loss for words. Of all that she had seen in this world, all the magic, all the wonders, this is the one that overwhelmed her the most. Nothing could compare to the wonder of a child on the way, created by the wonderous love that she and James had for one another.

She tried to think back to when she last remembered having her period, willing herself to remember, "I know, it was at that meeting back in Sepetember. Remember? I felt so sick I wasn't sure whether I was going to be able to go," She said, remembering it clear as day now, "You used your healer abilities back then, and made me feel better. So, since that was mid October and this is almost Christmas, I'd guess about two months along?"

After the initial stunning revelation that he was about to be a father, James beamed widely. He almost felt like jumping up and running to go tell his very best friend the news - surely, he'd want to be the godfather and look after their child, after all. Still, that butterfly feeling of nervous/anxious/excited was giving way to overwhelming curiousity. Two monts along was well enough to find out what they would be having. Ticking off in his mind, James numbered the months and smiled again, "July then, then end of - 25-ish, plus or minus a week." The end of July, his child would be born. "Leo," he said, painting a picture in his mind of what their personality tended toward. Retreiving a vial from the floor, he handed it to Lily, "Well, if you want to find out - you'll have to drink that."

Lily chuckled at James, who obviously couldn't wait to find out what they were going to have, "A Leo, most appropriate for two Gryffindors, don't you think?" She said, grinning, "How could our child be anything else?" Lifting the vial up to her eyes, she saw that it contained a swirly pink colored liquid, which seemed to glow. Seeing the eagerness in James' eyes, she knew that she wanted to know as well. Drinking it down, its bittersweet taste flowing down her throat, "A baby," She whispered, "James, we're going to have a baby," All the worry and uncertainty of a half hour ago faded away, at least for this moment. She hadn't been this happy since the day that she had married James.

More and more, the reality of their child was sinking in. Suddenly, July seemed only too far away and the visions of the baby swam in James' mind. He nodded in agreement with Lily, "Leo is perfect for a young Gryffindor-in-the-making." He pulled out his pocketwatch as Lily drank, knowing he would have to wait a minute for the potion to take effect before he could use the incantation to complete it. The minute passed like an eternity, James inwardly cheering on the second hand to complete a full revolution. Finally, he looked up at Lily, seeing her expectant expression mixed with a uncertainty and joy. He tapped the crystal once again, and it turned blue. Merlin! He looked up at Lily, "You know what that means, right?"

He beamed at her, thinking he definitely couldn't wait to tell Sirius now. A boy! A boy, a boy, a boy. Heir to the Potter line and a continuation of the name.


	2. Chapter 2

James and Lily- A love story

Chapter 2- Some Sirius News from Dumbledore

"A son, our son," She said, tears pricking her emerald green eyes. Taking James' hand, she put it on her abdomen where their baby boy was growing and covered it with her own, a shiver of wonder going through her, "He will be a great wizard one day, he has an incredible legacy behind him. I hope that he has your Quidditch skills, James," Lily had never gotten into Quidditch in school, she was more the studious type,

Just then she heard a knock at the door, "That must be Sirius here for his nightly visit," She said, laughing, "I sometimes wonder if that guy missed his calling and should have been a seer instead, he couldn't have picked a more perfect time. Make sure it's him though. We don't want any unpleasant surprises, not now..."

James took the crystal from Lily's lap and gently set it on the floor - it would continue to swirl in blue until he dispelled the incantation. After his hand covered her abdomen in wide-eyed wonder, he imagined the tiny figure within, peacefully residing within his wife. He met Lily's eyes and gave her a joyful expression as she spoke hopefully of their son's traits. A father, he was going to be a father. "He'll have your eyes," he said, almost spellbound by the thought, knowing that since his eyes were hazel, and 'indeterminate' colour genetically, their son would more than likely take on the eye-colour of his mother. Wouldn't that be something?

Her eyes still held a wonder for James, even after all this time of knowing her. He startled slightly when the door resounded. He stood abruptly, pulling Lily to her feet with him, "Wait here, love. Be right back." He kissed her quickly and rounded out of the study and headed to the front door, uttering the incantation that would announce who their visitor was if it was known. When the word 'Sirius Black' rang out, he moved ever-quicker to the door, unlocking it and opening it widely, "Hey, great timing!"

Lily nodded at James, knowing that if it was someone unsavory that he would want her to stay here. She gently touched her abdomen, still amazed that they were going to be parents. The world was so uncertain right now but she knew that she loved the little person growing inside of her more than words could say and that she knew that James and her were going to be incredible parents.

"Hey, Prongs, old fellow," Sirius said, clapping James heartily on the back, "Did you guys eat already? I hope that I'm not interrupting anything important," He said, stepping into the house, "You have a goofy grin on your face that kind of tells me that I might have," Sirius said, grinning mischeviously, "I brought you guys a peach cobbler, I know that Lily likes those."

Stepping aside so that Sirius could come in, he greeted his old friend a tad more exuberantly than usual. "Padfoot, you couldn't have come at a better time, actually." Taking the peach cobbler from his friend, he waved him past, "Yup, we've eaten, but I am sure Lily will love the dessert." He knew his friend would be able to tell he was in rather good spirits and only shrugged about his goofy grin, "Well, I think the mischief has already begun, but if you want details, you will have to see my lovely bride," he grinned. "Lils!" he yelled down the hallway to let her know the coast was clear, the enthusiasm evident in his voice. He waited until he heard her footsteps and turned toward Sirius, "Prepare yourself, my friend, for your new responsibilities."

He left it at that, and handed off the proffered dessert to an elf, who would put it in dishes most likely, and return in a few moments. "Besides, we are going to have to make sure Lils gets everything she craves, I think."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at his friend's odd behaviour, but having gone through Hogwarts with him and been friends with him for so long, he was used to it. Smiling at Lily as she entered the room, he went over to give her a hug, "Hey Lily. You are fairly glowing tonight, what in the world did I interrupt?" He said, blushing a bit and grinning mischeviously.

Lily looked quizzically at James, surprised that he hadn't told him. She was sure that when James saw that it was Sirius he would be telling him as soon as he set foot inside of the door, "You mean James didn't say anything to you?"

"Nope, not a word. I brought a peach cobbler and he did say something about you and cravings, but he also said that I would have to ask you for the details. So tell me, what are you two up to?"Sirius, who could be kind of dense at times, said innocently.

Fairly bursting just to remain quiet, James followed his friend back in the room to see Lily, but he had to laugh that his friend, at times when he didn't have to be an Auror, could be fairly clueless. Damn if he didn't have to spell it out for him. He went beside his friend and slapped him rather hard on the back a couple of times, "Sirius, my boy - you are going to be a proud Godfather!" Looking over to Lily, he exchanged a joyous look with her, "Lily is expecting. Why else would she be 'fairly glowing'?"

Laughing again at the shocked expression his friend wore, he looked to see Lily as it seemed she was fairly blushing. "Come on, we have to do this proper," he said and went to a side cabinet, withdrew a bottle of wine and poured two glasses for him and Sirius and a glass of water for Lily. Handing them out, he said, "A toast. To new and great beginnings in spite of all the bad endings."

Sirius blushed, embarassed at his ignorance. When he had recovered, he gave Lily another hug and clapped James on the back, "Congratulations, you two! I'm so excited for you. A Godfather, wow, this is such an honor! Do you know when it will happen? Do you know what it will be?" He said, excitedly, toasting Lily and James and drinking some of his wine c

Lily laughed as well at Sirius' expression on his face, then answered his questions, "Well, around the end of July...the baby will be a Leo. Really appropriate for two Gryffindors, don't you think? And, well, as for what it is going to be, I'm sure that James wants to tell you that himself,"She said, drinking some of the water, "And then I hope we can have some of that peach cobbler, cause I'm craving it," She said, winking at the two of them.

The expression on his friend's face was classic and James made a mental note to keep memory of it. "Well, before all that..." he said, giving his friend a conspiratorial glance and putting down their wineglasses, "You have to swear to keep it under wraps. Not a word to anyone that we don't give word to ourselves, alright?" He wasn't going to explain it right now, but probably would expound on it for his best friend's benefit to him privately later on. When Sirius' expression turned from quietly quizzical to compliant with a small nod, James continued, at first giving his friend a disappointed look before beaming brightly, "It's a boy!"

Squeezing his friend around the shoulder, "Isn't that great?" Then, crossing over to Lily, he put her glass down for her and pulled her along out of the study back to the dining room, telling Sirius, "Come on, mate, bring the dessert. Peach Cobbler - mustn't keep the lady waiting." When they were all sitting again, James content just to watch his wife eat, he turned to Sirius, "That means, mate, we both have to watch her and make sure she is doing the proper thing, right?" He knew Lily could be stubborn at times when it came to work.

"A boy, that's wonderful, mate!" He said, grinning from ear to ear, "And of course, no more raids for you, Lily. If you need me to come with you to speak to Jonathan I will. We must keep you safe, along with that precious baby you are carrying," He said, beaming at her, "And you," Sirius said, looking directly at James, "You're going to need to give up that nasty habit of yours now for sure."

Lily paused in her eating to nod at Sirius, "I'll let you know if I need an accomplice. Jonathan doesn't scare me though," She said, laughing. When talk turned to the matter of James' smoking, she heartily agreed, "I have been trying to get him to give that up for years. He has a good reason to now. Do you want to send Dumbledore a Patronus, luv? We should tell him as soon as possible."

James continued to act the proud father - agreeing with Sirius that Lily should take it easy and happy that he had an accomplice with making sure she took care of herself, "That means no skipping meals, either. Baby Boy wouldn't be too happy with you if you did." Nodding with Sirius until he said something about his 'nasty habit', James turned on him and gave him a quick 'you traitor' look, scolding him almost incredulously, "Hey! I thought you were on my side!" It was a joke, however, and his smile never faltered. He laughed then and turned to Lily, "Darling..." He gave her that charming smile that said he was humouring her or... not really. "How many vices, seriously, do I have?" He shrugged then, and decided just to comply,

"Well, I'll try. You know it's difficult." As it was, he confined his vice to the study in the house, where the room was spelled to not let the smoke escape and freshened the air when he was done, or took it outside. "How about I confine it to just after Remus' monthly jaunts?" Something to look forward to every full moon besides just running about in animagus form. "Should I send it now?" he asked about her question to send message to Dumbledore. He could only imagine the look on Albus' face when he got it. "Sure," he said and moments later, a long chinese dragon burst forth from his wand with proper instruction. "Done. Happiness?" he asked Lily and beamed at his best friend, "Let's see - what should the Godfather give up? Drinking?"

"Hey! Why do I have to give up anything?" Sirius said, jokingly, "But of course, when the lad arrives we have to have a cigar each. I can't imagine that James won't be giving them out," Sirius said, grinning at James, "But I'll tell you what, I'll cut back too. Would that help? Knowing your best chum was going through the same misery as you are?"

Lily just sat and laughed at the two of them. They were both full grown men but sometimes she wondered what exactly got into their heads, "I can just imagine what our son is going to be when he grows up, with the two of you as role models, to say nothing of Remus," She said, rolling her eyes, "I'm in biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig trouble."

Smirking, James gave Sirius a shrug, "You have to give something up if I have to give something up." He said it with a certain finality, although it was largely a joke. When his friend agreed that he'd join him in his campaign to cut down, albiet it wasn't exactly an agreement to cease and desist. "Fine for me, mate. Misery loves company. I guess Lily doesn't want to be the only one having to suffer cravings." He gave Lily a brief smug look, but then gave her a look of lifelong suffering. When she spoke about their influence, he laughed, "Merlin help you, Lily." He wrung his hands, pictures of his son already dancing in his head - and the things he and Sirius were likely to teach the young man as he matured, "We have plans, don't we?" He wasn't about to tell Lily about the ninja suit, though.

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts:

Albus Dumbledore was tired. He was frustrated and exhausted but he could not seem to rest his mind. He was sitting behind his desk in his tower office muttering to himself, his fingers forming a tent under his chin as he thought. The situation was worsening every day and it seemed as if everything he tried had no effect. Voldemort was becoming stronger and gaining followers by the day.

A few of the portraits on the wall around him were shooting him concerned or sympathetic looks. Some were whispering to their neighbors in low tones but he knew what they were saying. He was losing the battle against Voldemort and he had no tricks left up his sleeve. The Order of the Phoenix still battled hard against the Dark Lord and his followers but it felt like a losing battle and morale was very low.

Dumbledore's thoughts were interrupted by a silver Chinese Dragon entering his office. He knew at once that it was a patronus from James Potter and listened for its message. It seemed that James had been either in a great hurry or very excited when he had sent the patronus for Dumbledore could only make out bits and pieces of it. He heard something about Lily and that he should come quickly to the villa. Dumbledore's heart sank at the mention of Lily. He could not bear to lose another member of the Order and it would be especially heartbreaking to lose Lily. Without waiting another minute, Dumbledore stood. With a loud crack, he apparated outside the door to the home of James and Lily Potter. He raised his arm and rapped the door firmly, his apprehension building.

Lily just chuckled and rolled her eyes more at James' plans for their son. What was she going to do with him? "James, the baby isn't even close to being here yet and you have all these far out plans for him. I suppose you'll teach him that he should break rules when he goes to Hogwarts and go gallivanting around the Forbidden Forest too, won't you?" The twinkle in James' eyes told her all she needed to know, "Well, I do hope that he takes after me in the fact that he has a good head on his shoulders despite whatever you all teach him," Lily was just kidding, she knew that James could be really serious when he had to be and was one of the finest Order members she knew. Just then she heard an apparition crack outside the door, "Gee, I wonder who that could be?"

Sirius laughed at the expressions on Lily's face when she heard about the plans they had for the baby, "You know, Lily, that I will do everything I can to teach him right from wrong, along with how to have fun. Sounds like Dumbledore might have arrived. Your message was so garbled, James, because of your excitement, that you better answer that door fast before he thinks something is wrong."

Letting go the evil laugh that James had been practicing since he was very young, he gave Lily the mischievious look until he got a reproachful one from her, "Oh, you know we'll make sure to mix in the appropriate 'eat your vegetables' moments, Lils. With the combination of parents and Godfather, he's bound to be an unstoppable force of nature." He certainly hoped so - none of them were exactly slouches in their talents. Lily having certainly been regarded the cleverest witch at Hogwarts when they were there - in spite of being muggle-born, or because of it, he wasn't sure.

Walking over to give Lily a quick hug and kiss, James regarded what Sirius said about Albus. "Merlin, he might have gotten the wrong impression," he said, noting how fast the headmaster had gotten there and knowing how ... cryptic... his messages could be when he was in a rush. "I'll get it," he said, keeping a merry expression on his face and going over to the door to open it. "Albus!" he said when he met the gaze of his mentor, stepping forward to give the man a hug. "Come in," he said then, pulling him along to the Dining Room. "Look who I found outside," he said when he had rejoined his wife and child and friend.

Caught up in the whirl that was James Potter, Dumbledore found himself hugged and then ushered into the house. He breathed a deep sigh of relief when he found Lily alive and well sitting with Sirius in the dining room. So, it must be something else going on with Lily. Dumbledore decided to wait until they were ready to tell him the good news. "Lily, how good to see you," Dumbledore said with a wide smile. "I was a little concerned by James' patronus, only being able to distinguish the words, 'Lily' and 'come quick to the villa', but I am very glad to see you are all right." He turned to Sirius. "And Sirius, I expect all is well with you? Not up to too much mischief?" Dumbledore chuckled and gave Sirius an affectionate clap on the back.

Lily smiled at Dumbledore, "It's wonderful to see you too, Albus. Yes, when James is excitable he tends to...shall we say, not get the whole message across? And yes, Albus, I'm all right. I'm better than alright, in fact. James and I found out tonight that we are going to be parents," She said, a bright smile on her face.

Sirius chuckled at the look on Albus' face, "Michief? Me?" He said, an innocent look on his face, "Not when I'm going to be a Godfather. Actually, you missed quite an interesting conversation about what we are going to teach the child when he grows up. You better be ready, Albus, when it comes time to teaching this one. With the four marauders looking out for the, eh hem, less savory part of education?" Sirius said, a twinkle in his eyes.

As the news sunk in, Dumbledore felt his heart lighten for the first time in months. "What wonderful news, James, Lily! Congratulations! What a great thing to happen in such a dark time. You two much be ecstatic with joy. Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?"

Years of people having dealt with James always told them a great deal about the life of rather hyper people. James' family and friends knew only too well about that particular aspect of his personality, and often got swept up in it before they knew it. "You looked scared there for a second, Albus," he said, keeping the smile on his face and trying not to worry about anything else. After all, he'd just gotten the greatest news he could possibly imagine in his lifetime, thus far, aside from Lily saying yes to marrying him in the first place, in spite of his reputation as a troublemaker and everything else. "Sit down, Albus. Peach Cobbler?"

He pushed a plate in front of the headmaster and personal family friend before he could say one way or another. Going over to Lily, he squeezed her shoulders, "She has not to worry about our antics for the young child..." he said and looked down to his wife, smiling, "Yet." Happy that Albus was obviously pleased by the good news, he nodded, "Son! Due at the end of July - a Leo. Isn't that great?"

Something jumped in Dumbledore's mind at the mention of a July due date. An eerie voice flitted through his mind and he heard, 'born as the seventh month dies' as clear as day. It could not be. Dumbledore had been holding out hope since the time when the prophecy was uttered in his presence that no child would be born as the seventh month died. "Are you quite sure of the date? Are you absolutely sure?" Dumbledore asked with urgency.

"Well, James did some tests and I remembered the last time I wasn't pregnant was back in October, at the Order meeting..." She said, looking at Dumbledore's face. Something obviously was upsetting him, "Albus, what's wrong?" She looked at James for some clue as to what Dumbledore could be thinking but she saw that he was as clueless as she was. e

Dumbledore was unsure of how to break the news to the Potters. This was a very wrong time for them to hear any news that could be construed as bad news. But they must be told; it was essential that they told no one else about the impending birth. Dumbledore did not believe in fate, he was convinced that men and women decided their own destinies, but he knew that if Voldemort believed the half of the prophecy he had been told, the Potter's unborn child was in grave danger.

"I am going to tell you two something and it will sound fantastic. Please listen until I have finished. Slightly more than a year ago I was searching for a new divination teacher and I arranged an interview with a woman named Sybill Trelawney in the Hog's Head. Almost immediately upon sitting down with her, I was convinced she was a fraud. Nevertheless, I continued with my interview. Near the end of our time together, Sybill began acting very strange and uttered the following words:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

"This prophecy in itself would have meant nothing, in my opinion, had it not been for Severus Snape. At that precise moment, Severus was listening at the door and heard the first half of the prophecy. He did not hear the entire message as he was caught and taken away from the door halfway through. As you know, Severus is working undercover in Voldemort's confidence. Like me, he believed Sybill to be a fraud and upon hearing the prophecy, thought that he had hit upon something he could tell Voldemort that would cause him to be trusted more but would also cause the Order no harm."

"This was his mistake for, although I still believe Sybill to be a fraud, Voldemort does not. If he puts any stock in this prophecy, as I believe he will, Voldemort will seek out this child and destroy him before he becomes powerful enough to 'vanquish the dark lord'. As you may have noticed, the prophecy names the seventh month as the time of birth and that the child will be born to parents who have thrice defied Voldemort. This would indicate you two as the parents." Dumbledore paused, allowing all he had said to sink in.

More and more as Dumbledore spoke, James began to come down from his enthusiasm rather rapidly. Everything that he was saying certainly applied to them, and he noted that - along with Lily's earlier warning of caution - there was a great deal to be concerned for. Exchanging a look with Lily, he had to wonder why their life was to be so complicated and difficult. They loved each other, having fallen for each other as they did - and why did it matter that he was a pureblood and she was not. It didn't seem that people should concern themselves with that if the two of them did not. And yet, they encountered it rather often and had to deal with this fanatical group that had labelled it as the wrong thing and were working actively about eradicating this sort of supposed wrongdoing.

No sooner had he found out they were to be a parents and have a son, than he found out that their child was already threatened. He gave Albus a dumbfounded look and swallowed hard, "What do we do?" Perhaps if their child was born in a cave in Tibet, they wouldn't find them. But James' mother had been a true seer and he didn't take things like the prophecy very lightly. His mother sometimes slipped off into a trance and spoke cryptically. Eerie, to be sure, but very much a part of his life. "Lils?"

Lily sat, listening to Albus' words, the joy of the impending birth of their son growing dim with the realization that this child would be in real danger when he was born, and even before he was born if the wrong people found out that he was on the way. She felt a shiver go up her spine as she heard the prophecy, their precious baby, their son, was quite possibly the one that would vanquish the Dark Lord. Taking James' hand in hers, she gave it a squeeze and instinctively put her hand over her abdomen.

She knew how ruthless the followers of the Dark Lord could be, she dealt with them every day. They did anything they could to protect their master and it didn't matter who they hurt or killed. The fact that Severus Snape was possibly involved was a real blow to her. She had helped them while they were in school together, and had chided James when he had teased him,"The Order...they can't know. If Severus finds out that we have a son on the way, if he tells him..." Lily's voice caught just then and she couldn't go on, tears running down her cheeks.

Sirius, who had been listening quietly and allowing James and Lily spend the time with Dumbledore, was dumbstruck. James and Lily didn't deserve this, their moment of joy had been ruined. Instead of a happy time that it should be, Lily's pregnancy and eventual birth of their child would be lived in fear and anxiety. He went over to Lily's other side, wanting to help comfort her along with James, and looked at Dumbledore, "Albus, is there nothing that can be done?"

The urge to be angry was undeniable. James' and Lily's life was being infringed upon in the worst way - all the hatred, the threats, and killing for no good reason whatsoever. He hated them for that, the Death Eaters and their accomplices, and he very nearly felt like doing something rather drastic about it. It was no doubt that this was a full out war, without benefit of declaration and no idea who was on whose side most of the time, and --- well, it just made him feel both angry and helpless at the same time. He would certainly do anything to protect his family and friends, for what was left - but now he had to protect a child who wasn't even fully in the world yet.

What was he supposed to do? "We have to keep this a secret for as long as we can. Tell no one. Especially..." he began and couldn't help a sneer from visiting his face for a moment, no matter how Dumbledore felt about the man, "Snape." He had to admit to himself that he never trusted that man, never wanted him around him, and doubted very much whom he truly worked for.

Dumbledore could see the effect of his words immediately, the pain and anguish written across the faces of James and Lily. The last thing he had wanted to do was to ruin this joyous moment for them but they had to know the dangers. Decisions needed to be made immediately, before the world knew about their unborn child. "In answer to your question, Sirius, there isn't anything that can be done about Voldemort attempting to act on what he knows of the prophecy. We know by now how paranoid he is about being overthrown. What he fears most is death. He will seek out the child spoken of in this prophecy."

"That being said, there are things you can do to hide yourselves from him. It would mean giving up life as you know it and no longer being a part of the Order. To ensure that your child is safe, you will need to shut yourselves away and no one must know where you are. Perhaps you will appoint a secret keeper, someone you trust with not only your own lives, but the fragile life of your child. But the decision must be made immediately. It is my opinion that you should tell no one else about your pregnancy. You must go into hiding before you begin to show. These are only my opinions but I hope you will take them into consideration."

Lily started thinking about the ramifications of what Dumbledore said. She knew that he was right, but how could they possibly stay hidden from the world around them? They were well known and liked in the wizarding world, in their half of it anyways. She rubbed her temples, in an attempt to calm herself. She thought of her sister, and for once in her life she was truly envious of the life she lead. The birth of their child was going to be a happy occassion, they were probably out right now buying clothes and picking out names. What was there for their child? A lifetime hidden away from everyone that might do him harm?

She was so thankful that James was a healer, that he could do something in case of an emergency. She knew that the next seven months were going to be hard on all of them, including Sirius who was now burdened with this knowledge. She thought about how James loved going out with his friends on the nights of the full moon, romping around the countryside in their animagus forms. Would he ever be able to do that again? Just then a thought occurred to her--Remus, "Albus, can we have two Secret Keepers? Can the spell be split so that in order for the secret to be told, both people must divulge?" She knew that they could most likely fool Peter Pettigrew but not Remus...he was way too smart.

Sirius looked at both his friends, and saw the pain on their faces, "James, Lily, you know that I would give my life for you two, and for the baby. I would take your secret to the grave with me, if need be," He said, knowing that it was true.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't believe so, Lily. As far as I know, you must choose one secret keeper so choose well. It is imperative that you are not found."

James was truly nearly sick with the prospects before them and very nearly speechless. He could pick Albus to be their secret-keeper, but the elder man was already kneedeep in a million other things and had the weight of the world on his shoulders lately, it seemed. He hated the thought of burdening him any further than he was already responsible for. Besides, he had to entertain the thought that anyone they chose, could quite possibly be captured and tortured for whatever they might be holding onto. He wouldn't wish that on anyone, to tell the truth, and all choices seemed unsavory.

He wanted to say that Sirius was too obvious. If anyone ever thought of James, they'd think of his 'brother.' He looked over at his best pal, the troubles clearly evident on his face. "I don't want you to do it, Albus," he said turning to him, "Although I know you would." He thought of Remus, and he turned to face Lily, "And we don't know how the secret could be affected by Remus' transitions - he might not be able to keep it in... the moments in between." He sighed, knowing that no one could reason with a werewolf and no one could possibly break Remus, but he had definite weaknesses that could be exploited.

He didn't like any of his other options, but Peter stood out. No one would suspect he'd trust him enough with something this important. Still, Lily had voiced her concern about him and he couldn't bring himself up to say he'd make Peter his choice. Perhaps, he'd just have to trust that Sirius could handle himself, plus he'd already sworn he'd give his life to protect them, "It has to be Sirius."

Lily stood and gave Albus a hug, "Albus, I know that you have only our best interests at heart and I thank you for telling us. You are a wonderful friend and mentor to us, and I truly look forward to the day when our son will be in your care as well," Lily knew in her heart that there was a real possibility that that day may never come, but she forced herself to remain positive. She wondered what would become of their baby after he was born, if he was doomed to live a life of solitude and if he had to hide his true identity and the date of his birth. Going over to James, she laid her head on his chest, made weary by the emotional strain she had been under.

Sirius' heart went out to Lily and he looked at James, "I don't think one more night will make that big a difference. As we all know, it takes the power of the three of us to make this spell work, and Lily is obviously not up to it tonight. What about tomorrow?"

Dumbledore smiled at the three of them. They were all so strong of character and great friends as well. He knew that those qualities would help them through the dark and difficult times that lay ahead. He returned Lily's hug and said to them, "Well, I will leave you three to your decisions. If you need my help at any time for any reason, please do not hesitate to call me at once. I love you all dearly and I do not want to see any harm to come to you or your child."

Looking at all the people in the room, James noted the mixture of emotion and determination displayed. He was fairly certain those same things were visibly evident in his own face. He didn't like the idea of hiding, his mind arguing with him somewhere that it was not fair and there should be no reason for it. Another part felt somewhat cowardly to not just live as boldly and blatantly as possible in spite of these... terrorists. Still, he had a small being to consider - a young child that could not defend himself and needed his parents to guide him. So, James knew he'd have to step outside of his instincts to be so brazen and take the larger picture into consideration. Not an easy task for him - as he felt he ought to fight back with every ounce of aggression that was aimed at him.

Still, he was outnumbered and had the vulnerabilities of an expectant mother and unborn child. Even if he couldn't be gotten to himself, he knew damn well the enemy would have no hesitation to take their task to the rest of his family and his friends. Looking to Dumbledore, "Thank you, Albus, I know all of that and more. I wish this wasn't necessary but I know why it is." It wasn't an easy confession - James didn't often think in big-picture terms. Turning to Sirius, he said simply, "Tomorrow, then," and he went over to hold Lily's hand, squeezing it in some attempt to convey confidence and reassurance, which was largely empty in his heart.

After Sirius had said goodbye to Albus and he had gone, Sirius turned to James and Lily, "I should probably get going too. You guys need some time alone and I'll see you tomorrow when we do the fidelius charm. I know that the next months aren't going to be easy for you but please know that I am here for you and I will protect your secret with my life," Going over to Lily, he gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then gave James a hug as well, "If you need anything, just call me. I'll help you get through this, beyond a doubt, "With that, Sirius disapparated from their house.

Lily sighed sadly, the night had started out so perfectly and now the reality of what must be done was setting in. She thought of all the things that had to be done before they went into hiding, and the thoughts overwhelmed her. Thank goodness they were a witch and wizard and didn't have to go shopping if they couldn''t, "Thank goodness you're a healer, James. At least it's a comfort knowing that you know what to do in case of an emergency and when the time comes you can deliver our son yourself." e

Feeling his mind begin to reel with the full implications of what this would mean, James could feel a fierce headache coming on and small lights began to play on the periphery of his vision. He took Sirius hand and pulled him into a hug, patting him on the back before letting him go again. "Sure, mate," he said automatically, his mind and heart clearly elsewhere. The happy ecstatic evening was quickly plummeting into something else entirely - something more sinister and dark by moments. "I know you would, Sirius - I never doubt," he said by means of final reassurance of ultimate trust.

After he departed, James crossed back to Lily and took both of her hands in his, waiting for her gaze to meet his. Already, fine details of the plan were beginning to delineate themselves. "We can't stay at The Villa anymore," he said flatly, numb enough to be almost unemotional. It was a statement of fact - everyone knew where the Potter familial estate was. He put one hand under Lily's chin and leaned over to give her a short tender kiss, "We'll get through this. We stick together - we remain loyal to one another and nothing can defeat us." He pulled her into the sitting room, sitting down and having her sit next to him so that he could hold her to him so that her head was resting on his chest. It had been a long and tiring day and long and tiring days were sure to follow.

When James mentioned leaving The Villa, Lily knew that he was right. To protect their son and themselves they needed to basically disappear from the wizarding world for now, "James, where would we go? I mean, we won't have much time if we are to move before I start showing," Lily had a slim figure and she knew that the pregnancy wouldn't be able stay hidden for long, "I've been thinking about something regarding the Fidelius charm. Do you think it's wise to make Sirius the secret keeper if he's also going to be the baby's Godfather? I mean, what if something happens to us? They would know that he's your best friend and more than likely go after him. Then our son would have no one to look after him. Problem is, there are only two other people in the world that we are close enough to trust with that responsibility, to not tell anyone where we are---Remus and Peter. Like you said earlier, Dumbledore has too much on his plate already."

Leaving his ancestral home wasn't a comforting thought, but they had some property near London known as Godrics Hollow. It was in the heart of Muggleville, England, but that might just suit their needs all in all. "Well, we can have something built - in England - at this place called Godrics Hollow, Lily. A new home might just be perfect." He didn't particularly thrill to the thought of living among muggles and hiding his... difference. It would mean a lot of adjustment in his life, a lot of contraptions to get used to, and a great deal curbing of his normal habits - and watching himself all the time to make sure he didn't slip anything inadvertently. "I know what you are thinking - about Sirius - Lils, but you already expressed your instincts about Peter and Remus - I just don't think it's wise."

Lily was fighting an inward battle, "I know, but perhaps I'm just being silly. You know how I tend to be overly careful sometimes...it's my nature as an auror. But I have to be practical, and there's no way that I am going to let my sister raise our son if something happens to us. He would be the last person on Earth that I would allow to do it," Looking into James' hazel eyes, she knew that he trusted Peter and maybe she hadn't gotten to know him enough to make a firm judgement on what he was like inside. Outward appearances could be deceiving, "I have to put my personal feelings aside and remember that I'm being overly cautious about him. You're good friends with him and have been for a long time. We have our child to think about, and this is not the time for me to be selfish."

Nodding at what Lily was saying, James smoothed down his wife's hair, just taking in the comfort of lending that simple gesture. "No easy answers," he said finally, shrugging. Lately, Peter seemed more 'off' than usual, but he chalked that up to the pressures his friend had to put up with at his place of employment, not necessarily being the best and brightest wizard in their lot, after all. "I was thinking all the same things you are going through, love. But - I dunno - clean slate and all that in someplace new - it might be good for us."

He was trying his best to see the silver lining in all of this and it wasn't all that easy and he had to think he was just conjuring things to be positive about and there really was nothing at all. Still, he had a son to look forward to and he still had the idea of spending his life with Lily - just more quietly and lowkey than he had imagined.

Lily thought about what it would be like to live in a Muggle village. Being careful of using magic, using electricity(not that she wasn't used to that being Muggle born). Just then, something James had said came back to her, "James, we have no time to have a house built. The way muggles build it it would take months which we don't have and if it's built by magic, well, someone would be sure to notice a house that appears out of nowhere. Unless we had it built somewhere else and then paid someone to move it. Some muggles do that. What are we going to do about the house elves? We can't take them all with us, one or two maybe but there are so many," As she spoke she started to think of other things, "We'll have to make some baby clothes with magic, and I'll need some new robes before long."

She found herself getting angry. Getting angry with Voldemort, getting angry with Snape, getting angry with the whole situation. Their lives were being disrupted at the very time when they should be their happiest, "Sirius will need to talk to the boss for me. I don't even know what to tell him to say. We will probably need to take a trip into Diagon Alley before we go into hiding to make sure you have anything you need from the Apothecary. I did learn how to sew, my mum taught me. I could make our son his baby clothes... My mum doesn't even know about him yet and I can't tell her can I?" She said, knowing that there was no way she could, "When did our lives become so complicated, James?"

Listening to Lily begin to speak, James' expression became somewhat bewildered, then amused. Laughing just a little, he gave Lily a tight hug and then put a finger over her lips. "Hon, I know we'll be in a muggle neighborhood, but there are magical means around everything - after all - nobody even notices the house Sirius grew up in and it's been there for over a century." That was the funny thing about fooling muggles, sometimes - everything was hiding in plain sight and either things were spelled to be ignored, or they looked like something else entirely on the outside. After all, no muggle ever accidentally wandered into St. Mungo's, in spite of it being on a busy avenue.

He kissed her forehead, "You're thinking too complicated, love. We can get everything we need, by proxy or otherwise." Their friends would help, surely, or they could use the floo network for deliveries. They were just going to have to think more in the lines of... underground living - of a sort. "Tell your mum - we can have ways of them visiting - but... not your sis, sorry," he said. Things didn't have to be a complete killjoy, after all - but he didn't trust her sis - he imagined she'd reveal their location without question to anyone that asked in an instant. "We'll get through this, love - the charm follows us to whatever domicile we live in. We can build in Godric's Hollow and the muggles will think the new house had always been there," he said, smiling slightly at Lily - sometimes she amused him to no end with her unique perspective.

Lily chuckled too, for the first time since she had heard the prophecy she felt like she could laugh, "You're right, sometimes I forget how uncomplicated our lives can be, especially when I'm under stress. Forgive me for being so crazy," She said, reaching up to give him a kiss, "And you're right, not Petunia. That's the last thing we need is her sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong. I'm not going to tell her about the prophecy though. You know how they worry about us to begin with," Lily's mother often called to check and make sure that they were okay, especially now with all the things going on in their world. They were covered up with muggle explanations, but her mum knew.

"I think I'm going to call her now," Lily said, asking the one of the house elves to bring her the cordless phone and dialing the number, "I know that she will be happy for us and it will be good to give her a little bit of good news from our end for once. The phone rang and rang and no one picked up, "Hmm, that's odd. No one's home," She said, a puzzled look on her face. Just then the clock struck nine, "They usually don't go out this late. I wonder where they could be? Maybe I'll call Petunia and see if they are over there. Don't worry...I won't tell her anything, I just want to see if they're there," She said, as James gave her a look that she knew well. She dialed her sister's number and Petunia picked up the phone, "Hi, Petunia, it's Lily. Mum told me about your news..that's great," Lily frowned as her sister went off on her, "Petunia, are Mum and Dad there? I needed to ask them something," She frowned when she heard Petunia's answer, "No? Well if you hear from them have Mum give me a...," Lily didn't even get to finish the sentence before Petunia hung up on her, "They're not at Petunia's house either."

Allowing Lily to sit up next to him, James gave Lily a smile for her brief laughter and patted her leg as a silent gesture that he completely understood her momentary mania. "I love you, sweets," he said and accepted the kiss from her gratefully. Knowing what came next about calling her mum, he leaned back and rested his head on the back of the sofa. Listening to one side of the conversation was kind of frustrating for him but he always tried to take it in stride, "Sure." At least, his wife would be able to share her joy with someone. He didn't even care if her sister knew about their child, although he was sure he'd never let her see him so long as he had something to say about it.

However, he opened one eye when Lily was silent for a prolonged moment, and he met her frustrated expression - knowing it meant she was getting no answer on the other end. Her frown deepened and he shrugged, "Maybe they turned the thing off for the night?" He shrugged again at her curt nod and watched her dial again, his eyes rolling visibly. In his opinion, she shouldn't even bother calling her sister - it was only upsetting and frustrating for her, and he was always left picking up the pieces after she did so. "I doubt you'll get anything useful there," he said, picking up his head again and straightening as he listened in.

"It may be nothing to worry over, love," he said, knowing how paranoid Aurors could be at times, having dealt with it all his life from his father and grandfather and their friends, "Hon, you look beat. Maybe you should just - go lay down, oui?"

Lily sat looking at the phone in her hands and half heard James as he said that there was probably nothing to worry about, "James, you're probably right. It's no wonder I'm on edge after everything that happened tonight. Maybe I will go lay down for a bit, if you come and join me? Give me a few minutes while I get changed and such and we can just hold each other and make the world go away," She said, giving him a kiss on the cheek and raising up from where they were sitting. Going upstairs, she went to the bath room and changed and got ready for bed. With the water running, she didn't hear the knock at the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Lily and James Fanfic

Chapter 3 Some More Bad News

Sirius had been called back out on a raid soon after leaving The Villa, and when he got to the house where the Dark Mark had appeared, his face fell and he knew that after tonight, this was the last bit of news that James and Lily needed but they had to be told. Apparating to The Villa once again, he knocked impatiently on the door and waited for someone to open it.

Having laid back on the couch to just momentarily quiet his mind, James had almost drifted off once he had heard Lily reach the top of the stairs, meaning she was complying, by and large, with what he had suggested. He'd give her a few minutes before he went up himself, having agreed that just 'being' and holding one another would probably be best and they'd face their further options when the new day came. However, as soon as he was on the edge of sleep, a knock came at the door and he blinked, looking at it - almost afraid to open it. Would the day never end?

Slowly rising, quite reluctantly, James crossed to the door and pressed the wood to activate the charm that would allow him to get a view of the person on the other side before opening it. Immediately, he noted the expression on Sirius' face and it immediately chased away the tendrils of sleepy fog from his mind. James swiftly unlocked the door and opened it, "Sirius. What's the matter? What's wrong?"

Sirius stepped into The Villa, his expression a mix of concern and of the businesslike expression that he wore when he was working, "Where's Lily? Has she gone to bed yet?" He said, looking around and obviously avoiding the subject. When James gave him a look that he needed him to go on with it, his eyes filled with sorrow, "James, soon after I left here tonight, I was called out on another raid. There was another attack on a Muggle household. When we got there, the Dark Mark was there and whoever had created it was gone," Sirius knew that this was really going to throw his friends into a frenzy, "James, it was the Evanses, Lily's parents."

For some reason, as soon as Sirius stepped through the threshold of The Villa, James sense of protection was immediatly kicked into high gear. Whatever it was that his 'brother' was bringing to him, he had a feeling Lily wouldn't like it. It was for that reason that James was reluctant to tell Sirius where she was and he gave his friend that 'you better tell me first' look. Somewhere, he couldn't help but think their child would never be born at all, due to the stress they were under. And his instinct, unfortunately, proved itself out. His jaw dropped almost immediately as soon as Sirius got the news out and he swallowed hard before closing it again.

"Merlin..." was all he could whisper out and he glanced up the stairs as if Lily had been standing there. Grateful that she wasn't, "Your kidding me," he said as if saying that would make it a joke but he knew it wasn't. Sirius would never even play around that way, surely not. "What... what the hell am I gonna say to Lily?" he asked Sirius, almost pleading that he could hold that information off.

Sighing, Sirius nodded, "I know, this is going to be horrible for her. But once word gets around, James, she's going to find out. You two are well known and liked, and I'm sure that your friends will be sending their sympathy greetings. It's better for her to hear it from you than to find out by chance," Sirius looked at James and put a hand on his shoulder, wanting to comfort him and to give him strength, "Do you want me to stay with you and help you?"

Upstairs, Lily had changed into her dressing gown and gotten into bed, wondering where James was. Alone with her thoughts, she had time to think about the oddity of her parents not answering the phone. They almost never went out this late at night, especially with the goings on in the world. She had warned them that it wasn't safe to be out in the dark. Downstairs, she heard James talking to someone. It sounded like Sirius...what was he doing back again? Getting out of bed and pulling a robe over her nightdress, she went downstairs, "Sirius? What are you doing here?" Judging by his looks, he looked as if he had just come in off a raid, "There's been another attack, hasn't there?"

There was no way in the world that James could honestly entertain not telling Lily and not telling her immediately, but he cursed to himself that fact, that night of all nights, he'd have to do it on this one. Was there no mercy in the deity whatsoever? "You have to stay and help me," he told Sirius, leaving no room for discussion, not that he expected his best friend to protest that at all. Taking a deep breath, James had to prepare for the eventuality that Lily just may collapse on the spot, if not physically, then emotionally. He genuinely liked her parents but the pang of grief he felt was nothing compared to the impact the news was likely to have on his wife.

Trying to formulate some way, any way, to cushion the blow, James' thoughts were interrupted by the soft sound of a voice as it floated down the steps. As he turned around, he could hear the voice change to have an edge of fear in it. With good reason, no doubt. James immediately rushed to her side, hoping it looked more like the concern of a husband for his expecting wife, but he cringed knowing that Lily was a bit brighter than that. "Lily, you may want to sit down..." he began and her sharp look at him told him to belay that, "Nevermind," he said and picked her up and put her on the couch himself. He sat next to her and took her hands in his, leaning forward so he could look at her directly. Before telling her anything further, he gave a quick look to Sirius as if to warn him to 'hold on to his hat' and brace for the worst reaction possible. "Lils, there's been another raid, yes."

He paused, fighting the fact that his throat wanted to close up, and he whispered, "At your parent's house."

Lily looked at James, then at Sirius, knowing that something was going on. Her feelings were confirmed by the intense feeling of urgency with which James rushed to her side and told her that she needed to sit down, then picked her up himself and put her on the couch. She think she knew in her heart what she was about to hear but somehow her mind was denying it. When the fateful words came out of James' lips, she heard them as through a tunnel, her mind not wanting to register them.

When the words had sunk in, she looked with disbelief at her husband, wanting so much for it not to be true, begging him to tell her that it wasn't true. Looking at Sirius for some sign of assurance and finding none, she whispered, "They didn't suffer, did they?" Her green eyes filled with tears as she realized that her parents were gone, her remaining part of her family who stood up for her and James when Petunia got on their backs. They would never get to see their beautiful grandson that was on the way, they didn't even know he was coming.

Sirius reached forward and put his hand on her arm, "No, Lils, they didn't suffer," He said, knowing it was little consolation for the pain she was feeling. These friends of his didn't deserve so much bad news in such a short while, they had done nothing to deserve any of it and it made him angry.

Guessing that her parents were more than likely taken out by the killing curse, he knew they probably hadn't even known what hit them before it had taken their lives. Sirius, surely would have known if they'd been tortured with any other unforgivable just from evidence alone. Not that he was sure if he'd say so to Lily or not. Still, it was better to think they hadn't been tormented first - the Death Eaters didn't usually bother with mere muggles. James puller her close, letting her pain pour into him if she wished. He'd have time enough to grieve later - for now, he was there for her. He swallowed and made a small gesture to Sirius to calm down, noticing the murderous look on his face.

The news of her parents death overwhelmed Lily and she broke into sobs, soaking James' robes with her tears. She was spent and had not much more in her to give. She put her hand over her abdomen, the baby that had been made by her and James' love, and her wonderful husband sitting there, cradling her in his arms gave her the only hope she had left for the future. Her heart ached and she so desperately wanted it to all go away. She was thankful that Sirius had come and told her the news, it was easier to hear it from someone as close as he was to her and James. Her body and soul were spent and her resources were wearing thin. It wasn't long before she felt the darkness consume her and take her into oblivion.

Sirius sat there next to James and Lily, feeling helpless and didn't know what to do. He watched as James held her tight in an effort to comfort her as she cried and wishing he could do something himself. After a few minutes, it seemed as if Lily lost consciousness, and he looked at James with concern in his eyes, "Is she okay?"

A few silent tears slid down James' face unnoticed by himself. He just let Lily vent everything that she was feeling, pouring it out in a torrent of emotion that fell down on him like heavy stones. Once again, his mind slowly floated to the stress she was under and the child she was carrying, made more conscious by watching her hand drift over it as if to hold onto it for dear life. He felt so helpless about all of it and all he could do was sit here and cradle his wife in his arms until she calmed, almost unnaturally. Doing some quick checks of her vitals, he looked up to meet Sirius' watchful eyes, nodding at his inquiry, "Exhaustion."

Picking her up, he placed her on the couch, finding a pillow for her head and a blanket to cover her up with as the chill in the night was likely unable to be dispelled.

Sirius looked at his two dearest friends, feeling so badly for them and not knowing what to do. He was thankful that Lily was okay, but he was still very worried about both of them. He felt reluctant to leave them, he wanted to be there for James who more than likely would have trouble sleeping, but he also didn't want to butt in, "Do you want me to stay with you? I am willing to stay if you want me to. The night could be long and you have had a lot of shocks tonight."

Turning back to his friend, James nodded in acknowledgment while wiping away the tears that were already drying, "Stay tonight. But..." he said and gestured that they should move to another room, "Kitchen." He figured he might slip something for Lily to inhale while she slept in a little bit - to ease her sleep and stave off any dreams - so that she could get some true rest. But he knew the exhaustion alone would hold her for a few hours, at least, before a certain restlessness would begin. Using his wand to dim the light in the room, James lead Sirius down the hall to the kitchen, he made sure the door closed behind them and he spelled it to contain their voices while allowing him to hear what was going on outside the room.

Putting his wand on the island counter, he found the liquor hidden in a corner cabinet and pulled out a carafe and two glasses for him and his 'brother.' Kicking over a stool for Sirius to sit on, he pulled one up to himself and poured the glasses for both of them, putting the carafe between them on the counter. "So, tell me what happened at the raid," he said, using his healers ability to be detached to get him through.

Taking a sip of the firewhiskey, Sirius found himself beginning to relax, "Well, it was Frank, Alice, and me. We got there after they had left, but it looked like it had been the work of the Lestranges; you know how they like to leave their subtle calling card after killing people. James, they didn't die peacefully. I said that so that Lily didn't worry herself too much, but it looks like they had some fun with them before they died. Their faces were masks of pain and horror, and well..." Sirius said, wondering if he should go on but knowing that James would want to know the truth, "Her mothers clothes were ripped and askew. I think that either Rodolphus or Rabastan might have...forced himself on her."

Sirius took another sip and sighed, "James, it was one of the worst I'd ever seen, and I've been to some bad ones. What made it really bad was the fact that I knew them. Lily's parents were so sweet," He said, staring off into space for a moment, "Soon after I saw who it was, I said my goodbyes to the Longbottoms and apparated back here. I wanted you guys to hear it from me rather than another way," Sirius was visibly shaken up by the night's events and though he tried to distance himself while working, his emotions could only be held back for so long.

Clearly, the news wasn't making it any easier. James had seen some truly awful things himself - being a healer, he sometimes saw things even the Aurors didn't see, after all. Hearing Sirius talk about her parents, he remembered the man who regalled his stories about Quidditch, having taught the man the finer details of the game for hours on end one night, and the mother who hugged him so tightly at times, making him miss his own mother so terribly. Taking a large sip of his firewhiskey, James put a hand on one of Sirius' and patted it to reassure him. Pushing the shotglass to his friend, "Drink. It'll calm you some." He could almost see a visible shaking in his friend, he imagined. He didn't want to imagine anything much further than that, however. Finishing his shot, he poured himself another. His nerves were just about raw, as well.

Sirius downed the shotglass of firewhiskey, thankful for the numbing affect it had on him. Looking at James, he saw the stress and fatigue in his friend's eyes and wished that he could do something to ease it, "I know this was a terrible thing for you to hear, but I figured you would rather hear it from me than to hear it in another way. The trick will be keeping the knowledge from Lily. I don't know what it would do to her."

Not knowing what he ought to be doing, James nodded his head, "I'll contact some of my dad's old friends - get them to lean on the paper to suppress the details. That's what I can do. She'll get mad at me if she finds out, but I am willing to take the brunt of it - to protect her, you know. I honestly thing that too many shocks at this point would be a very bad thing - and I am speaking from a healer's perspective, and not just my own." Opening a cupboard below him on the island, he took out a box with a collection of bottles in it. He needed to mix a sedative for his beloved and something that obviously would not harm the infant growing within her. Already, Lily had quite a series of shocks for the day.

"I don't know how things could get worse," he said, idly to himself and then he lifted his eyes up to meet his friend's silent look. "Okay, I know how things could get worse, but we need to stop that from happening," he said with a sigh, pulling out bottles and lining them up in the order they needed to be mixed.

Sirius nodded at James' idea, "That's a great idea. Your dad had some pull with the press and that should stop anything. Just then an owl came fluttering in the window and dropped a note from the Auror Department in front of . Opening it, he read it and immediately his face paled, "Can this night get any worse?" He said, sadly, not believing what he had read, not wanting to believe it. The Longbottoms had been attacked...if he had stayed he very well could have been attacked too. Folding the note he put it away, a sad look upon his face. He tried to hide his feelings but he knew that James would see.

Glad to have found a solution for something, at least, James had begun to uncork some of the bottles and had found an empty glass to begin mixing in, "Good ol' dad has to be good for something..." His relationship with his father, after all, had been a bit strained - the pressure mainly revolving around how much he hadn't been home much during his life - practically a workaholic and neglecting his family, for the most part. A great Auror in his day - a lousy father. Not thinking much of the owl, James continued to work until Sirius said something aloud and he miscounted the drops from the bottle, "Damn it."

He stopped pouring and looked up at the expression on his friend's face. "What was it?" he asked, slightly annoyed that he had to ask. He poured out the solution in front of him and began his task again. He realized he had snapped at his 'brother' and apologized, stopping to wipe his face with his free hand, "Sorry, . This is getting to be too much." .

"Prongs, it's alright. No harm, no foul right?" He said, which is what they always said when they accidentally did something that hurt the other person,"

Looking down at the note he had folded and was now subconsciously tearing to shreds, he said quietly, "The Longbottoms, they were attacked. Must have happened right after I left. I was so concerned to get to you and Lily that we didn't secure the area. Damn it! Why didn't I follow procedure?" Softening his tone, he looked at James, "They're at St. Mungo's and apparently Alice got hit really hard. Will it ever end, James? When is this war going to end?"

Giving his friend a dubious look, James raised one eyebrow, "How do I know that whenever you say 'Prongs, it's alright' - then I know the next thing you are about to say is going to upset me?" He asked because it was usually true. He listened to what had to say and he could feel that familiar bubble beneath the surface - but it wasn't he was mad at. This whole damn crazy world was what he was mad at. James put down his bottle that he was pouring ingredients from and grabbed his friends wrist, holding it tight. "Hey!" he said, making sure he had his brother's attention, "It's not your damn fault." He wanted that to be clear from the very beginning. "You're human," he said a little softer, but the anger could still be seen simmering below the surface.

With that hard look on his face, he looked out the window at the stormy sky outside, seemingly swirling with nothing but ill intention. "The war isn't going to end until HE's gone," he said, his jaw tightening and the hatred within him growing. Damn it. Damn the freaking Death Eaters and those who did His bidding, damn the Dark Lord, and damn the godforsaken prophecy. It was all spiraling out of control. "Maybe you should go check on them," James said finally after a long moment of silence and many internal vows of revenge, turning slowly back to his friend.

He let go of Sirius' wrist, realizing he was still holding it tightly, as much to remain his own control as it was his, "Just - don't..." he said and met his friend's eyes firmly, "Don't get any wild ideas, promise me - wizards oath."

James' words offered little consolation, but Sirius nodded his head and seemed to be agreeable. When he said about checking on the Longbottoms, agreed that it would be the thing to do. Check on them and apologize for not making sure that the area was secure before leaving. He had never seen James so angry before, but who could blame him? His wife lay in the next room, carrying a child inside her who had a prophecy foretold about him, and sleeping only due to exhaustion, "James, I promise. Nothing crazy. After all, I have a godson on the way and I want to be around for his birth."

"Damn straight," James said, matter-of-factly. He let out a audible sigh and finished mixing the ingredients for Lily's sleep inducer. Corking the vial, he knew he had only to shake it firmly to make it vapor the next time he opened it. That vapor was the dreamless draught he needed to keep his wife sleeping. The best thing for her, after all - after the shock that she had received - was for her to sleep without dreams or memory. He didn't like to do this to people normally, but in some instances, he knew it was for the greater good. For their health and their sanity. "My son needs a godfather, so no matter what you encounter at the hospital, I need you back here to help me out. Lots of things to plan, you know."

Standing, he patted his friend on the back, "So long as friends stick together, things should go alright." He gave a weak smile, which meant he was at least making the effort to find something to look forward to.

"I'm your friend to the end, you know that right?" Sirius said, clapping James on the back, "You take care of Lily and I'll send word as soon as I know what is happening with the Longbottoms. Once I know they're alright, I'm going to head back and get some sleep myself. If you need me though, just let me know. I can be here in a flash," Giving James one last smile, he apparated to St. Mungo's.


	4. Chapter 4

Lily and James - A Love Story

Chapter 4 - A Small Victory

Lily stirred in her sleep, her nightmares assaulting her as her state of consciousness became a more natural sleep rather than one caused by exhaustion and emotional pain. She dreamt that their son had been born and that he was snatched from her arms on the eve of his birth by a masked wizard. Crying out in her sleep, she startled herself awake and looked for her husband, frantically needing him to be with her.

Giving Sirius their special Marauder shake, he watched his friend as he left, feeling a deep need to sleep himself and trying to fight it for the sake of holding his vigil for his wife. Things were going to be rough for the next few days. Perhaps a quiet funeral and finally, plans for going into hiding. They could hide Lily's news for a while but not too long, he figured. Hearing some slight moaning from the other room, James scooped up his vial from the counter and made his way through the door, just in time to hear Lily cry out.

Double stepping, he was at the side of his wife in a moment, slipping the vial into his breast pocket in the meantime. Holding her shoulders just to let her know that he was there, he hushed her, "Lily, it's okay. I am right here," he said softly.

Lily looked at James and wrapped her arms around him. All of the things that had happened came back to her in a flood---the news that they were going to be parents, the prophecy, and the news of her parents' deaths.

Looking at James, she said sadly, "I was hoping that it was all a nightmare, that our son really wasn't a possible part of a prophecy and that my parents were still alive. But it isn't, is it? It's all true."

Glancing around the room, she found a scrap of paper on the floor and reached down to pick it up. It was part of a letter from the Auror department at the Ministry of Magic, a piece that Sirius had dropped, "James? Did an owl come for me from the Ministry?" Just then, an owl flew in the window and dropped a letter on her lap, "Well, if this is for me, who did the other note go to?" She said, picking up the note and wondering about it. It couldn't be good news, an owl from them this late at night.

Taking Lily in his arms when she grabbed for him, he just held her tight for as long as she wished to do so. When she pulled back, he wished he could grin or had something encouraging to say, but nothing presented itself in his mind. "I wish I had something else to tell you, Lily," he said finally, for lack of anything else, and just to break the awful silence that seemed so expectant between them.

James noted the piece of parchment even as Lily spotted it and he tried to intercept it, but she had it in her hand before he could and it seemed rude to take it from her, "It was a note for Sirius, love - he's been here and is gone right now to check on a few of our friends."

Silently, he cursed the owl that presented itself a moment later. "Hon," he said softly, "There isn't anything you should be doing right now - why don't you give me the note?" He had been privy to some fairly confidential things in his day and was a fully trusted person in the eyes of the Ministry, after all.

Lily sighed and knew that James was right. She had to not think about work, she wouldn't be working there anymore anyway, Without question, she gave the note to James. But something that James said made her think, "Sirius was here when Dumbledore left. Did he leave and come back?" She asked, furrowing her brow, "I suppose it really doesn't matter. There's so much to do before we go into hiding. I wonder how long it will be before we have to worry about people knowing that we're going to have a baby?"

She thought about Christmas, only a week away. This should be a happy time for them, their firstborn child was on the way. But instead they would be having a funeral for her folks and basically disappearing from everything and everyone they knew and loved.

"James, I'll have to call Petunia tomorrow. I don't want some stranger telling her that our parents are dead. And we'll have to make arrangements for them," Putting her fingers up to her eyes, Lily rubbed them in an attempt to clear her head, "I always knew that I'd one day be burying my parents, I just never expected it to be this soon. Why did they do it? My parents never did anything to them. They did it to hurt me, to hurt us, didn't they?"

Taking the note from his wife, James frowned and slipped it into his pocket. Whatever it was could likely wait a short bit, anyway. Not much mattered to him in this moment besides the concern that he had for her and their child. Everything else, he loathed to admit it to himself, was now secondary. Besides, it wasn't as though he could be out in plain view anymore, either. They'd just become prisoners of their own destinies, whatever that may be.

"Sirius will be back - I asked him to stay with us a short while - until we get everything set up, hon. No worries." Smoothing down her hair, he regarded her with an unusual softness, as though she was a china doll. He knew in his mind that she was no where near fragile, but he didn't want to push testing her limitations at the moment.

"Lily, it is likely that the Ministry has already had people working with the local poli?... polici?... police?" He gave her an apologetic look, knowing he was more used to foreign countries name for it than for England, "The Ministry has probably already covered the incident for the local authorities. You can't just go killing people in Muggle neighborhoods and not have anyone notice, after all. I am sorry, Lils," he said, holding her hands, "But Petunia probably already has been told." He knew that wouldn't sit well, but there was nothing for it. "Now is not the time to worry about these things - it'll be taken care of in the morning, love. You need to rest."

He leaned in and softened further still, "But yes - they did it to get to us." He knew the strategy well - it had played out in his family years before, and now it was playing out in hers. If you can't get to the person directly - destroy everything they know and love around them.

Tears filled her eyes; their rebellion against the dark side had cost her parents their lives, as it had his parents' lives years before. She thought about her sister, who hated her and James so much that she was loath to allow them to protect her family. She had to make her sister understand somehow, and she also had to get James to help her convince them. Taking his hand in hers, she allowed herself to draw strength from him. Strength for herself so that her body could keep their child safe.

Just then there was the sound of a car driving up their driveway outside and Lily looked at James, "Well, we know who that is. Not too many people we know drive cars, do they?" She said, grimly. She had almost been expecting this, that as soon as Petunia and Vernon heard the news that they would be over here.

Her suspicions were confirmed a moment later when heavy footsteps appeared on their doorstep, followed by a heavy pounding on the door, "POTTER! You open this door right now or I'll bloody well break it down!" Vernon's voice could be heard throughout the house and sent the house elves scattering.

James let Lily have all the strength that he possessed - which wasn't too terribly much as it was, he was sorry to think. He was just about at the edge himself, was angry, upset, tired, and weary. Yet, none of that showed because that is how important it was right now just to hold it back and to hold it together. But it was wearing thin, and Sirius had tasted that just before he had left and he had to apologize for it.

But, just as the sound of the tires could be heard, James was standing and he put an arm out for Lily to just remain where she was. Something in him was braced for this but there was this other part that honestly had no interest in holding back any longer.

It was his name being called out, his ancestral pride, and all of it bubbled to the surface. He was in no mood to deal with this right now. He could see the look in Lily's eyes instantly change to alarm but there was nothing left in him to belay it. "Stay. Right. Here." he commanded, giving her that look that said she best think twice before doing anything else. With that, he crossed quickly to the door and before that brother-in-law could get a decent accusation out, James had laid him quite flat to the porch.

Vernon had told Petunia to stay in the car, but as she watched the events unfold and saw James hit Vernon with a right cross, she knew that she couldn't sit idly by and do nothing. Getting out of the car, she walked calmly up to the door, still in a state of shock that her parents were dead, "James, please," She said quietly, looking at him with fear in her eyes, "I must talk to Lily. I promise, I won't do anything to upset her or anything. But our parents are dead and we have to make plans," Petunia's horselike face was sincerely concerned and showed no sign of deception.

Lily heard her sister's voice and knew that she wanted to see her. She looked at James, who seemed to be wanting her input, and nodded, mouthing the words, Please let her in. For now they had to put aside their differences and act like a family. She and James would be going into hiding very soon and who knew what could happen?

Holding no venomosity for Petunia in particular, James held himself at bay when Petunia ran up, "You can talk to Lily. But you best not accuse her of anything - any part of this - or you will have to answer to me." His eyes held full warning that he had every intention of carrying out that threat if need be, although he'd certainly never hit her under any circumstances. Still, he didn't need, and Lily didn't need, some kind of obnoxious, ignorant muggle making out that this whole situation was somehow that they had been the cause of all these things happening, directly or indirectly.

He waved Petunia past the fat man laying out on their porch, knowing he'd done no permanent damage to the man, and he withdrew his wand - casting a charm that would lift the man onto the foyer floor at least so that he could close the door. He was willing to let his sister-in-law in but he wasn't going to stand for an belligerence in his home. Not from anyone. And no one could make threats like that to him.

Lily rose to greet her sister, embracing her in a hug. She could see that Petunia had been crying, and her heart went out to her. Gesturing to the couch, she invited her sister to sit down. Putting her hand over Petunia's, Lily looked in her eyes, "Petunia, I'm so sorry about Mum and Dad. Some of the people in our world, they just don't care who they hurt or how they do it. You know James and I would never do anything to hurt them ourselves."

"I know, Lily. I told Vernon that rushing over here and making accusations wasn't going to do anyone any good, but you know how stubborn he can be. I know that you and James had nothing to do with this," Petunia sighed heavily and looked at her husband laying on the floor, "Will he be alright?"

James kept a wary eye on the two sisters, making sure that nothing untoward was going to go on. He didn't figure it would, but the moments of civility between the two of them were rare enough. Still, tragedy tended to band some people together - if only temporarily. He rather hoped it would be a bridge between them buy an underlying cynicism whispered to him that it would be short-lived. He knew Petunia to be a bitter person and as soon as Lily's parents were finally laid to rest, he fully expected those accusations to surface in her, no matter what she was saying now.

He nodded to Lily if only to reassure her that his anger, for the time being, was tempered back to an even keel. When Petunia looked in his direction, he could see the fear in her eyes, "He'll be fine. And if he isn't fine - then I am a healer, right?" he answered her, perhaps a little colder than he would otherwise.

Petunia relaxed a bit then, knowing that Vernon would be alright, "I apologize for my husband. He can be rather, brash, at times, as you well know. I guess with the baby on the way he's more on edge than usual," She said, a half smile on her face, "Pity Mum and Dad won't get to see their first grandchild," She said, choking a bit on the words.

"I know, Petunia," Lily said patting her hand and thinking I know too well what that is like , "But at least they died happy, knowing that they were going to be grandparents. Would you like a glass of milk or something, Petunia? We have something called butterbeer, rather tasty and no alcohol so it's safe to drink," Petunia nodded and Lily summoned a bottle of butterbeer with two glasses, knowing that James would probably want something stronger. She opened the bottle and poured out a glass for her and Petunia.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vernon stirring on the floor. Vernon had been slowly waking up and had heard everything that Lily had said last. Getting up from the floor, he turned to Lily, a look of menace upon his face, "Died happy? Is that what you think happened? Well they told me the state that they were in was atrocious..." He didn't get any more words out after that before James stepped in.

Allowing the two sisters to talk, James took it upon himself to play sentry to the scenario. Lily had been his pillar of strength when there was nothing left of his family, and he was most definitely going to be there for her now. He swallowed hard, knowing that it was difficult for his wife to speak about her parents being grandparents without her saying that she was also expecting. In some way, he knew she was accepting that perhaps her parents also knew about their child, in the afterlife perhaps, or she could act as though they did. A small comfort, but it was something. And because he was conveying respect for Lily, and her alone, he allowed Vernon to return to consciousness and to begin to pick himself up.

However, he almost instantly regretted that choice as soon as the git opened his mouth. Withdrawing his wand, he froze Vernon where he stood, mid-sentence, deciding quickly just to leave him that way and he stepped around him and walked quickly to the two sisters. He could see the question on both their faces immediately and he sighed deeply to himself. Sitting upon the coffee table beside them, he nodded and said nothing.

Lily knew by the look on James' face that he knew exactly what Vernon had been about to say, that Sirius probably had lied to her about her parents' death wanting to protect her. Judging by the surprised look on Petunia's face, she didn't know the truth, either. She decided to say nothing more about it but intended to ask James about it later.

Taking Petunia's hands in hers, a pleading look on her face, she said, "Petunia, please allow James and I to put some spells of protection on your house. I am imploring you one last time because this is the last time you will see James and I for a while. I can't tell you where we are going or why, but we will be moving soon after the funeral for our parents. Please...if not for your sake but for the sake of the baby you are carrying," She looked to James for help, "When is your child due, by the way?" She saw that Petunia's pregnancy was already evident and wanted to gauge how long they had before she got to that stage.

"The baby's due in June," Petunia said plainly, looking from Lily to James, to her motionless husband, then back to Lily. An inward battle appeared to be raging inside of her and Lily knew that she was really considering the decision to allow them to protect her family.

Running through his options in his mind, James fiddled with his wand just a bit. He was going to have to alter the memories of Vernon before he 'unfroze' him, he figured - it was just difficult to decide whether to alter him just a bit or make him a blithering idiot. Then again, he was already a blithering idiot, he could just make him a mute blithering idiot.

Snapped out of this internal dialog, James met Lily's pleading eyes and he softened for her benefit and a bit for Petunia, who was clearly not in the know about a lot of things. It was unlikely that Vernon had actually seen the scene but had been conveyed it by the local authorities. Well, some other things needed to be altered, he was sure.

Nevertheless, that was a job for later - and he'd appeal to the Ministry to handle that. James could tell what Lily was thinking - they didn't have too much time, either. Looking at Petunia directly for the first time, he made an appeal on Lily's behalf, "There are no guarantees, no matter what. You're in this, we're all in this - you can do everything or you can do nothing - but you're not immune. And it's better to be prepared for it than not to be. You can't walk away and expect you'll never be affected by it, Petunia."

Petunia sighed. She knew that her sister and brother in law were right, as much as she was loath to admit it. She looked at her husband, frozen in time and knew that he wasn't going to like what she was about to say, but she had their baby to think about. If he was going to be so pigheaded as to put their child at risk, then she would have to do it when he couldn't do anything about it, "James, Lily, I have come to a decision. Vernon won't like it but at this point I don't care. Knowing what happened to Mum and Dad has made me realize that there is real danger involved and that we have to protect our child. Please, do what you can to protect us."

Lily found tears pricking her eyes, that was happening a lot today, and reached over to give her sister a hug, "You've made the right decision, Petunia," In her mind she knew that her parents had been killed because of the Death Eater's hatred for her and James and knew that Petunia and Vernon were just as much at risk as they had been.

She looked at the clock and saw that the time was getting late. It was dangerous for either James or her to go outside at any time, but especially at night. Looking at Petunia, she saw how tired she was and her own resources were wearing thin, "I think the best thing to do would be to go and place the charms of protection on your house tomorrow, while Vernon is at work. That way he won't be any the wiser. I know that he will be upset if he finds out."

"He won't find out," James said plaintively as both sisters came to terms and Petunia finally saw some reason to what they were saying. Her sister was stubborn as a mule at times, but there was some glimmer of logic from time to time behind those eyes. When she could push away the clouds of her own prejudices, that was. "Lily, honey - why don't you take Petunia to the kitchen for a minute, okay?" He gave her a slight look and an ever so subtle nod - that she ought to be able to pick up by now seeing as they'd been together for a few years - that indicated he needed to do something with Vernon.

He needed to be made 'none the wiser' to some of this and the alteration could be... delicate. Reflexively, he stood and bent over to give Petunia a slight hug - a rare and tender gesture toward her - just to show Lily that he wasn't uncaring in their general direction. He just... had a difficult time toward some muggles and these two were not the easiest to be related to... albeit by marriage alone.

"Okay, James," She said, smiling at him and thanking him for being so kind to Petunia. She knew that it wasn't easy for him and it wasn't easy for her either. Standing up, she offered Petunia her hand and led her into the kitchen, hoping that the house elves wouldn't be there. Thankfully, they seemed to have scattered when they knew that there were Muggles in the house, "Do you know what you are going to have, Petunia?" She said, getting out some cookies and offering her some.

"No, not yet, it's still too early to tell," Petunia said, looking towards the kitchen door which Lily had closed, "I think Mum and Dad always thought you and James would have a child first. I don't think they figured me and Vernon to be the type who wanted children, but they knew how much you and James loved them."

Lily could see that Petunia was wondering what James was doing, "Don't worry, Petunia, he's just...um, making sure that Vernon is okay. He is a healer after all," When Petunia mentioned about her and James having a child she gasped a bit and instinctively put her hand to where their son was growing. When Petunia gave her a strange look, she shrugged and forced a smile, "Cramps. Yes, James and I do love children. We're just waiting on the right time."

Allowing Lily the time to get Petunia into the kitchen and behind the closed door before he even made a move in Vernon's general direction. He stroked his chin, realizing he was getting a bit of an afternoon shadow on it, and considered the string of spells he ought to perform. Something completely mind altering came into his thoughts, but he pushed it away stubbornly. As much as he wanted to, he knew he only had the right to protect his own interests, as if that wasn't tampering enough, and no more. Shame to waste the opportunity, however. Nevertheless, he performed a short ritual and then led Vernon to the couch. He still appeared stunned and was mostly docile but he knew that would wear off soon enough. After Petunia got him home, most likely, and he'd had a bit of rest.

Then he'd be his own ornery, stubborn, pig-headed self again. Damn it. Whistling and walking back to the kitchen, he remembered that he ought not be so happy and he stopped before opening the kitchen door. Catching the look of the two sisters as soon as he stepped through the doorway, he shrugged and addressed Petunia first, "He'll be fine. Take him home and put him to bed. He'll be his normal self in the morning." Walking over to Lily, he put an arm around her waist, subtly tugging up her arm so it wasn't over her abdomen so obviously. It was a normal reaction, he knew, but one she'd have to curb in questionable company, "You okay?"

"Yes, I was just telling Petunia about the horrible cramps I was having," She said, giving him a pointed look that told him that she was keeping their secret safe and explaining her actions, "We had been talking about how our parents had expected us to be the ones to have a baby first, that's all."

Turning to Petunia, she gave her sister another hug, "I know that wherever Mum and Dad are they will be watching over your son or daughter and rejoice in their own way when he or she makes their entrance into the world. You should go home and get some rest yourself, it's not good for the baby. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll make plans for a quiet service for them," She said, sadly, "And also for what we talked about earlier," Lily lead Petunia out of the kitchen and back to the living room where Vernon appeared to be awake but quiet.

"Thank you, Lily and James, for everything," Petunia said, gesturing for Vernon to get up and leading him out to the car. Lily went to the window and made sure they got into the car okay, hoping and praying that they would be alright. When they finally drove out of sight, she sat down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her, wanting James to join her, "Well, that was a nine day's wonder all in itself wasn't it? We'll never convince Vernon, but at least Petunia is now listening to reason."

Stroking Lily's hair mildly, he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, "Yes, I'll have to make you something for that." He nodded at her explanation and helped escort her sister down the hallway, momentarily admiring his handiwork with Vernon - just how he liked him, silent and docile. Now, his memory only withheld the highlights of the recent events, most likely, and very little detail. Also, he spelled Vernon not to notice certain things around his house - setting up things for later. "Drive carefully," he said with forced concern as they left, having heard the phrase somewhere and grateful he had a chance to use it finally. He knew he was going to have to learn to be more... muggle-ish... himself. No matter how much the thought made him cringe.

As soon as they were gone, he walked over to the couch with Lily and sat next to her, running an arm along the back of the couch, letting her lean in if she wanted to, "Her reasoning will wear off most likely when the shock does..." He didn't mean to sound cynical or mean - he just felt it was a statement of reality, all in all.

"I'm afraid you're right," She said, sighing, "But at least by then, the house will have the protection charms on it. Merlin, did you see how big she is already and she's only a month further along than I am. James, we don't have a lot of time do we?" She said, thinking about all that needed to be done before they could go into hiding.

She nestled up next to James, bringing her feet up next to her on the couch, "You did some good work with Vernon tonight. I would have been more comfortable going and doing the protection spells tonight so that I knew that they were safe, but I know that nighttime isn't the safest time for us to be out and about."

Remembering what Vernon had said, she looked at James with a no nonsense look upon her face, "James, Sirius wasn't telling the truth, was he? There was something that he didn't tell me about Mum and Dad's death, I know there was..."

Taking Lily into his arms, it was good to have her against him, the warm of her seeping in and chasing the cold that he was feeling inside away. "Not much time, love. You don't worry, though. I have a ton of people who owe me or my father a favor and it'll all be taken care of. Tomorrow, we see to your parents and your sister. That is all you need to think on." He smiled softly to himself then, "Other than yourself, us and our child, that is." His family. If he lived long enough to actually have one. He hid the worry, however - making it small in his mind. "As for Vernon - well, I restrained myself from my wilder ideas, but he won't remember the finer details." He loathed the question he knew was coming, however.

Subconsciously, he began to rub Lily's shoulder, "Sirius didn't say the whole thing, but..." he stopped for a moment, his mouth taking on a momentary grim line, "It was only because he didn't want you to suffer, too."


End file.
